China

China’s leading mobile services provider, China Mobile plans to bid for the mobile TV rights of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, according to reports.

The 2007 WNBA All-Star Game, which will showcase the most talented female basketball players from around the world, will be televised in 198 countries with commentary in 30 languages.

The port city of Qingdao was tofficially confirmed as the China stopover for the 2008-09 Volvo Ocean Race with the signing of an agreement between race organisers and the Qingdao Municipal Government.

The New York Yankees signed a sponsorship deal with Chinese dairy company Yili, making it the first Major League Baseball club to sign a sponsorship deal with a Chinese company.

Infront Sports & Media agreed a a joint-venture deal with Excel Sports Management, to develop an athlete representation basketball business in China.

Infront Sports & Media agreed a new commercial partnership for China’s national basketball team with The Pearl River Brewery.

UEFA has launched of a Mandarin-language version of uefa.com, produced by UEFA Media Technologies in partnership with sina.com.

Li-Ning, China’s leading sporting apparel firm, has become an Official Sponsor and exclusive Sportswear Apparel Sponsor of the 2nd Asian Indoor Games in Macau, China.

The NFL has cut a deal to increase awareness of the league in China by making Titan Media the country’s official sports media partner of the NFL.

David Stern says he is close to confirming an NBA sponsored and branded league in China.

Coca-Cola agreed a deal to sponsor the Olympic Torch Relay for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Beijing Organising Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers Zhong Tian CPAs Limited Company (PwC) as the accounting services supplier of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

The Beijing Olympic Games Organising Committee (BOCOG) FIBA and the NBA formed a joint cooperation to develop and execute all aspects of Olympic sports presentation for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Ambush marketing activity from non-Olympic sponsors is set to be a significant issue for the Beijing Olympic organisers, according to research from Beijing-based consultancy R3 and CSM.

Sailing’s Volvo Ocean Race will visit China, stopping in two cities, in early 2009 along a new route that will include stopovers in the middle-east, India and Asia.

China officials say they will put the naming rights of the 91,000-seater Olympic stadium in Beijing up for sale once the closing ceremony of the 2008 Games takes place.